Nicole points out one of the stops on the new story walk, newly installed at the N. Attleboro Fish Hatchery

I met Nicole at the Fish Hatchery to see the Story Walk she put together with her husband Shane, the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s N. Attleboro Fish Hatchery, just off Rt 152. What a joy to not only learn about what Nicole had done, but to hear the “back story” behind how she and her husband planned the walk, and even about how they chose the book to use.

Tiny white flowers I’d never seen

But this post is not about the story walk–I hope to have Nicole share that story with us herself. There were so many delightful little things we spotted along the trail. I wanted to provide an “up close and personal” view of summer flowers and such that we spotted while following the story walk that encircles the pond.

At the top of the stairs leading down to the water’s edge

The less than a mile loop trail around the pond offers varied terrain–stairs lead down near the banks of the dammed stream, then another set of stairs takes you back up to overlooks that offer some nice views.

The Bungay brook flows into the dammed pond

As we came into sight of the pond

Great blue heron perched on a duck box

we spotted a great blue heron perched on the top of a duck box out in the pond.

Mushroom poking through the leaf litter

Lady slipper plants–the flowers have gone by, mid-summer

We found the leaves of lady’s slipper flowers–too late to enjoy the blossoms now that we’re into July. Several different fungus varieties presented themselves as we walked.

Indian pipes

Indian pipes pushed their way through the leaf litter.

White flowering bushes next to the pond

Some white flowering bushes filled the banks of the far shore of the pond.

Lichen growing on a rock

When we returned to the main building we stopped at the trout pool,

Outdoor trout pool, with man-made shade to keep the trout happier. Thanks to the N. Attleboro Power company, that provided discarded poles and the manpower to install the poles around the pool!

now covered with a shade cloth to benefit the trout that swim in the outdoor area. A second version of the story walk will be installed in this area as a handicapped accessible story walk.

Staff and volunteers working together to clean up the perennial garden next to the trout pool

We found volunteers trimming back the wildflower garden next to the trout pool.

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a personal historian who loves the outdoors, and has completed two guides to Easy Walking trails in Massachusetts, “Easy Walks in Massachusetts 2nd edition,” and “More Easy Walks in Massachusetts.” A native Floridian, she came north for college and snow! Marjorie is a Certified Legacy Planner with LegacyStories.org, and is the producer of numerous veterans interviews for the Bellingham/Mendon Veteran’s History Project. http://www.marjorieturner.com